Alone
by HDWren
Summary: Post season finale. Finch denies the fact that he's not okay after escaping from Root's clutches and Carter decides to help him before he does something that he will regret. One-shot. Please review!


**Hey everyone! it's been a while since i have updated anything. this fic was fun to write. This is just something that came to my mind so I wrote it down. (I'm so excited for the new season of POI!) **

**Its very late at night so there are probably a few grammar or spelling mistakes. Please let me know if you catch any mistakes.**

**ooOoo**

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Finch stood at the edge of Pier 1, his hands gripping the metal railing separating him from the icy water of the East River. To his surprise, no one else was on the pier and he stood alone, staring out across the water. A chilly breeze brushed against him, and Finch shivered slightly. It was dawn, and Finch could see the sun slowly beginning to rise, illuminating the tall skyscrapers of Manhattan and seeming to make the water glow. It was peaceful, and yet Finch felt on edge and he couldn't shake the uneasy feelings in his gut. Four days. It had been four days since Reese had rescued Finch from Root's clutches. Finch had tried to forget everything that had happened while he was Root's prisoner, but to no avail. It wasn't so much the physical torture that haunted him, but the mental torture. Root had tried to break him, tried to make him tell her everything he knew. It had almost worked and Finch was surprised that he lasted as long as he did. He was sure that if John hadn't rescued him, Root's plan to break him would have worked eventually. John. John Reese. John, the man Finch considered to be his only friend. Over the past few days, Reese had barley left Finch's side, trying to help him anyway he could and letting him know that he was there for him. Reese was concerned for his friend and hated seeing him so discomforted. And yet, Finch was pushing his only friend away. Finch shuttered, remembering the argument they had gotten into just thirty minutes before.

"_Finch, I'm just trying to help-" John had said calmly, seeing that Finch was angry. _

"_Well, you're not. I'm fine, Mr. Reese." Finch snapped, even though John was trying to help._

"_Look, sometimes talking about what happened can make you feel better-"_

"_I'm fine."_

"_Please, Harold, just hear me out-" John pleaded but Finch interrupted him again before he could finish. _

"_Jesus Christ, are you deaf? I said I'm fine!" Finch had shouted. John had just stared at him and before he could say anything, Finch continued. "I was kidnapped by an insane woman, and now I'm back and I'm alright. What's there to talk about? I said I'm fine! I don't need any help. I don't need anyone's help! And I certainly don't need your help. So why won't you just leave me alone?" Finch could see the hurt in John's eyes and he took a step towards the door, but Reese had moved in front of him. _

"_Because you're my friend." Reese had said quietly, answering Finch's question. _

"_I don't have any friends. I'm alone, always have been, always will be. Now, get the hell out of my way." Finch had replied so coldly that he almost didn't recognize his own voice._

Quietly, Reese had moved out of his way and Finch limped out of the library to his car where he had gotten in and just started driving. He wasn't sure what had drawn him to the Brooklyn Bridge but he ended up at the edge of Pier 1, watching the sunrise. Now alone with his thoughts, Finch regretted every word he had said to Reese. He was trying to be a good friend, and Finch was driving him away. He didn't want to hurt Reese but the fear and anger he was feeling was clouding his thoughts and judgment, and he thought that it would be better if he was alone. Finch's thoughts were then interrupted by the sound of someone walking towards him and he felt his heart jump a beat as he feared the worst. Finch gripped the railing so hard that his knuckles turned white, but he managed relaxed slightly when he recognized the voice of the person approaching him.

"Morning Finch." Carter greeted, walking up to stand next to Finch.

"Detective." Finch replied. They stood together looking over the East River for a moment before Finch broke the silence.

"Was there something I could help you with Detective?"

"As a matter of fact yes. Perhaps you could tell me why you refuse to accept help from anyone. And why you are pushing us away." Carter replied a bit of anger in her voice.

"I'm fine-"

"Finch, you're a lot of things, but "fine" isn't one of them." Finch opened his mouth to say something but Carter interrupted before he could say anything.

"No, you listen to me. I don't know what happened to you. If you don't want to talk about it then don't. You don't have to. We understand that you have been through a lot. But don't treat the rest of us like crap. You haven't said a single word to me or Fusco since you've been back and Reese told me what you've been like the last few days. How you've been a complete ass to him!" Carter said angrily, "I never took you for being a jerk. Why won't you admit that you aren't fine? You don't have to prove yourself to anyone." Finch was quiet for a moment, surprised how angry Carter seemed.

"I – I've just always been alone. I thought that I could handle this alone." Finch responded quietly.

"You don't have to be alone." Cater replied, her anger seeming to disappear. She put her hand over Finch's hand and she could feel him tense, but he quickly relaxed. Cater noticed the discoloring around his wrists, where his skin was raw from his hands being tied tightly together.

"It's alright." She said softly, squeezing his hand in a reassuring manner, mindful to avoid touching his injured wrists.

"I'm so afraid. She haunts my thoughts every day…I feel like I just need to get away…" Finch whispered, turning his body slightly to look at Cater, tears in his eyes. Carter put her arm around Finch and rubbed his shoulder slightly, trying to reassure him.

"It's alright. She tortured you mentally and physically. It's okay to be afraid." They stood for a while, not saying anything, but Finch felt relieved to have someone with him.

"Thank you." Finch said suddenly and Carter nodded, knowing what he meant. "If you don't mind Detective, I think I should leave now. I owe our friend and apology." Carter nodded and watched as Finch limped back to his car. She smiled to herself, noticing how Finch had referred to Reese as their friend, not their mutual friend. He had never called himself a friend of hers before.

Finch slowly got into his car, thinking about what he was going to say to Reese. He hoped that his friend would forgive him. Friend. Finch didn't know what the future would hold, but he promised himself that he would never let himself jeopardize his friendship with Reese, no matter what.

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**ooOoo**

**I hope that you enjoyed this story! Feedback is always appreciated. :)**

*** If you are following my other stories, (Watching the World Burn and The Last Survivor) more is coming soon! School just started again, and I have been busy, but more is coming! thanks for being so patient! ***


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